Tobacco-stick holder.



J. H. THACKSTON.

TOBACCO STICK HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED 213.24, 1908.

Patented Jan. 12,1909.

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JAMES HENRY THAOKSTON, OF BETI-ILEIIEM. CHURCH, VIRGINIA.

TOBACCO-STICK HOLDER.

Specification o Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

Application le'd. February 24, 1908. Serial No. 417,376.

T all whom fit may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMEs I-I. TiiAoKs'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bethlehem Church, in the county of Prince Edward and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in rTobacco-Stick Holders, of which the follow ing is a speciiication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention is an improved tobacco rider or holder for use in supporting tobacco sticks while the tobacco is being cut in the field or after it is stripped and in the barn.

The object ol the invention is to provide a simple and practical tobacco stick holder which will be strong, durable, and comparatively inexpensive in construction, which will be convenient to handle and which will eiiect a great saving in labor.

lffith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel ieatures of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully doscribed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation oi my improved tobacco stick holder g Fig. 2 is an end eleva tion; and Fig. 3 is a detail vertical longitudinal section through one end of the device.

rl`he invention comprises an upright supporting frame which may be conveniently moved from place to place in the iield, and it preferably comprises two similar end ineinbers l, 2 united by longitudinal rods 3 and having outwardly projecting supporting legs 4 which are spaced apart suiliciently to prevent the frame or holder from being easily overturned. rThe end members or pieces i, 2 are preferably in the form of fiat metal bars disposed vertically with their faces opposing each other and spaced apart by the connecting rods 3. Three of the latter are preferably provided in suporposed relation and have their ends reduced to form shoulers, and passed through ailiertures in the bars 2 and upset, as more clearly shown in liig. 3. The supporting legs l on each end piece or member are preferably Jformed by bending a piece of metal into substantially somi-circuH lar form and uniting its central portion to tl e lower end oi the bar 2 so that its straight or parallel ends depend.

To permit the device to be easily moved through the held, I preferably provide upon each of the legs l a supporting wheel 5 which is journaled upon an axle 6 projecting outwardly from the leg 4. Where the iield or ground is very rough, and the device must be carried from place to place, the wheels may be removed from their aXles, and in order to prevent the latter from coming in contact with the ground, I provide the legs l with eX- tended portions or feet 7 which project downwardly below the axles but terminate above the horizontal plane of the lowermost point ol the peripheries ofthe wheels 5, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The tobacco sticks are supported upon the device by engaging their ends with V- shaped notches 8 formed in the tops of the upright bars or members l, 2, or inserting them in triangular-shaped openings 9 formed in the upper portions of said bars or members. I have illustrated two of the openings 9 arranged in the same vertical plane in each of said bars or members but it will be understood that any number of them may be provided.

Formed in the intermediate and lower portions of the bars or members l, 2 are openings 10 which serve to reduce the weight of the device and also for the reception of a temporary connecting rod which may take the place of one of the rods 3, should one of the latter become broken or loose.

In using the invention for holding tobacco sticks while cutting tobacco in a held, the device is drawn or moved along the row as the workman advances and as he cuts the tobacco he hangs it upon one of the tobacco sticks which is supported either in the notches 8 or in the openings 9. T he device therefore dispenses with the necessity of the man who cuts the tobacco, or his assistant, holding the stick while the tobacco is being placed thereon and its use results in a great saving in labor. After one tobacco stick has been filled it may be removed from the holder and replaced by an empty one and when the tobacco is not very large, two, three, or even more sticks that have been iilled may be supported at the same time by the device. It will be noted that the invention is eXceedingly simple in construction so that it is strong and durable and comparatively inexpensive to produce.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

l. A tobacco stick holder comprising two vertical end bars formed at their upper ends with notches and adjacent to said upper ends with openings, said openings and notches being adapted to receive and support tobacco sticks7 longitudinal rods connecting said end bars, outwardly and downwardly projecting legs upon the bottom of each of said end bars md supporting wheels journaled upon said g2. A tobacco stick holder comprising upright end bars formed with notches and openings to receive and support tobacco sticks, longitudinal rods connecting said end bars, outwardly and downwardly projeeting'supporting legs upon-the lower end of each ofthe end bars, spindles upon said legs, wheels removably journaled on said spindles and depending feet upon the legs projecting below the spindles and terminating above the horizontal plane of the lowermost points of the peripheries of said wheels,. substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ali'ix my 20 signature' in vthe presence of two witnesses. JAMES HENRY THACKSTON.

Vitnesses:

E. G. GIBBs, F. C. THORNTON. 

